League MVP Kevin Durant Named NBA 2K15 Cover Athlete

After wresting away the league MVP trophy from four-time
winner LeBron James, Kevin Durant is taking his place on the cover of the next
2K Sports hoops effort.

The timing for this announcement couldn't be better for 2K Sports. Earlier today Durant won his first MVP award after leading the NBA in scoring for the fourth time while averaging a career-high 32 points per game. The Oklahoma City Thunder forward also averaged 7.4 rebounds 5.5 assists per game,
commanding the Thunder to the second-best regular season record in the league.

"I begged them to put me on the cover," Durant said during a phone conference this afternoon. "I really think nobody plays the game as much as I do."

Durant is an avowed fan of the series, even though he lives, eats, and breathes this life every day. In particular he said he loves the My Player mode, which places you into the shoes of a up and coming NBA player. "Taking a guy through a season, getting drafted, sitting on the bench, becoming a starter, and trying to get better – I feel that’s how it is as a real NBA player," he said. "It’s just so real.”

This isn't Durant's first go at being a cover athlete. EA put him on the cover of NCAA March Madness 08 and then tapped him again to promote its rebranded NBA Elite franchise in 2010. The game never met the publisher's quality bar and was ultimately cancelled. He also appeared alongside Clippers forward Blake Griffin and Bulls guard Derrick Rose on the NBA 2K13 cover. This time, the honor is all his, joining a decorated club that includes hall of famers like LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, and Kevin Garnett.

With previous cover athletes in recent years, 2K Sports has celebrated their careers with specialized content like The Jordan Challenge, NBA's Greatest Mode, and last year's Lebron: Path To Greatness mode. We must wait to see if Visual Concepts has similar plans in store regarding Durant for this year's version.

Our Take:As one of the brightest stars in the NBA today, Kevin Durant is a no brainer to assume the mantle as the 2K cover athlete. We hope 2K Sports figures out a unique way to integrate him into the game experience like the aforementioned Jordan Challenge and Path to Greatness modes.